


Distracted and Encouraged

by morganaDW (morgana07)



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Blow Jobs, Established Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Language, Not so nice Jeff, Other: See Story Notes, Protective Jared, Roleplay, Some Humor, Stubborn Jensen, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 03:32:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7205405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgana07/pseuds/morganaDW
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen Ackles is an architect with a stubborn client, an absent and often distracted boyfriend and a boss who thinks he should be arm candy for his daughter.</p><p>Stressed, worried, and burying his feelings, a sudden rushed morning has him at the end of his rope when he finds himself stuck in an elevator with a janitor who seems a little familiar and who is able to not only distract him but also give the encouragement that Jensen finds he needs when forced to make a change that could not only effect his life but that of the man he loves and trusts above all else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: I'll warn for some mild language as well as mild sexual content. The actual sex is implied but not shown other than a blowjob (sorry, that's just how this one worked out).
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> Beta: lotrspnfangirl
> 
> Author Note: So this one started out as a one shot but I soon discovered that it would have been a huge one-shot so broke it up into three chapters. The story is complete and I have it all back from beta'ing so it will update pretty regularly since we all know my patience stinks when I have chapters to put up, lol. Hope you all enjoy it.

**Distracted and Encouraged**

**Chapter One**

Glancing at his watch, Jensen Ackles swore under his breath. He figured he basically had time to bolt from the parking garage to the elevator, pray the damn thing was working correctly, get to his office and just glance over his notes before his first meeting of the morning.

The day had started out wrong for the young advertising executive. He’d gotten up late because his boyfriend had shut the alarm off and had forgotten to wake him up before he’d left for work. Then the coffee maker had picked that morning to die and he’d cut himself shaving. Construction on the way to his office had also made the already frustrated man even more so and by the time he stepped into the elevator, he was ready to snap.

The meeting that morning was the final one to confirm the design on a new park and recreation area on the other side of town. As one of the firm’s top architects, it had been dropped in Jensen’s lap and should’ve been a feather in his professional resume if he didn’t end up killing the owner of the land who had shot down nearly every design he’d submitted right from day one.

He’d heard that his new client was hardnosed and difficult to work with, given the man was a perfectionist, but Jensen had been taught to never judge a book by its cover. Except in this case the cover was very much like the book and the man he’d been working with for the last eight months gave new meaning to ‘stiff’, ‘difficult to work with’ and was more than a perfectionist.

Stepping into the elevator with his briefcase clutched in one hand, his portfolio case stuffed under his arm, Jensen was swearing under his breath when his keys and cellphone both hit the floor and so did his temper. “Goddamn it!”

“Good morning, Mr. Ackles. Or should I ask how bad of a morning is it?”

Unaware that he wasn’t alone in the elevator had Jensen’s eyes shooting up even as he was kneeling down to pick up the dropped items, silently praying his phone hadn’t broken since it was already his second replacement since he’d bought the damn thing less than a year ago.

Frowning when all he saw was a blur, Jensen realized his wire rimmed glasses had slid down to the end of his nose like they tended to do if he wasn’t constantly pushing them up. He did so now and once they were back in place he stared at the scarred and battered work boots before letting his eyes move up the faded denim coveralls all the way to the name tag of who he now recognized as a janitor he’d seen around the office for the last couple months.

“It’s a really fucking bad morning so far… J.T. And if I’m late for this meeting it’ll get even worse,” he replied, easily standing up only to blink as he realized the janitor had a good three inches on him. At 6’1” it was odd for Jensen to have to look up at anyone. Then he found himself getting lost in deep hazel eyes that seemed to be mixed with varying shades of golds and blues. “This final meeting,” he continued, tearing his gaze away from the man’s mesmerizing eyes, “with the client from hell can make or break my career here.”

“Is he that bad?” the janitor asked while nudging the mop and bucket he had with him to the side so it didn’t get close to the clean slacks of the up and coming architect. He knew of Jensen Ackles, he’d often seen him around the building or in the elevator, but had barely spoken to the man other than every Thursday morning for the last couple months. “Your client?”

Jensen’s lips curved into a slow smirk, fingers running through his still damp, wavy dark blond hair in a useless attempt to make it look like he hadn’t basically showered, shaved and bolted. Which was exactly what he’d done. “The absolute worst. Nothing I’ve drawn up or suggested has been close to being perfect enough for his dream project. I’m about ready to toss him and his uppity Texas butt down the hall to Liz. Maybe he’d prefer the hot brunette type of architect or something.”

“If this guy is more interested in a bra size than actual skill then maybe you should,” J.T. replied, reaching out to catch the portfolio case before it could slide out from under Jensen’s arm and hit the floor. “You’re the best in the firm… or so I’ve heard.”

“The best what? Best at being an architect or best at being a socially defunct geek because I don’t socialize or party like the rest of the staff here?” Jensen winced as he heard his own tone and recognized the bitterness that had been welling up inside him lately. “Sorry. Just ignore that. I haven’t had coffee, my night sucked, and so far my day isn’t starting off any better and… oh, no. Please God tell me what I think just happened isn’t what just did?” he asked when the elevator suddenly gave an odd sound and jerked with enough force that only a pair of strong hands kept Jensen from falling forward. “Are we stopped? Did this goddamn elevator just break down… again?”

“Looks like,” J.T. confirmed with a low grunt as he went to the control panel, pushing a button just to check the override but nothing happened. “I’ve been telling the head of maintenance that this elevator needed a good going over or something since it’s been breaking down pretty regularly lately.”

Jensen was fighting a huge ass panic attack right then, letting the back of his head bang off the wall of the now unmoving elevator while trying not to notice how small this damn box actually was with both him, the broad shouldered janitor, and the mop bucket thing all pushed inside.

“It breaks down every damn week!” he snapped, frustrated, and when he glanced at his watch to see the time he finally gave up. He let his briefcase and portfolio drop with a harsh string of curses that included everything from his current client to his absent boyfriend, his damn alarm clock and now the fucking makers of useless elevators that seemed determined to drive him into a bottle of booze or get him fired. “The hell with it! I’m _done_! I’m done with the client from hell! I’m done with worrying what people think of me or that my goddamn boyfriend is too wrapped up in his own project to notice anything else going on in our lives, or more specifically my life! I’m done--”

“You’re hyperventilating, Mr. Ackles,” J.T. said quietly as he turned from the elevator controls to watch the upset man for another moment before stepping closer. “You do every time this happens lately. Would it help if I said I’m sorry you’re stuck in here with me?” he asked quietly, voice soft with just a hint of a drawl dropping just a notch lower as he knelt to carefully pick up the dropped case and portfolio before placing them to the side. “Would it help to talk about what’s bothering you until this old thing starts working again?”

“With my luck this’ll be the time it doesn’t start moving again and no one will look for us and I’ll end up a pile of bones in an old elevator and…” Jensen’s body had slumped back against the wall, his hands running through his hair with the frustrating urge to yank it, and his green eyes closed to avoid seeing the walls he knew would be closing in on him now. A low chuckle broke through his panicked haze. “Laughing at me right now, in the state I’m in, will either get you punched or killed so I’d watch your next step.”

Kneeling fully on the floor of the unmoving elevator which was now making some very uneasy sounds that were only making the on edge architect even more nervous, the janitor looked up slowly at Jensen. “You should be a writer considering the imagination you have,” he said calmly, not in the least bit phased by the seeming threat. “We’re not going to die. You are not going to be a pile of bones and of course someone would come look for you,” he reassured the man whom he’d been noticing the last few weeks seemed less and less confident and that was something J.T. didn’t understand. “You’re the firm’s Golden Boy or so the rumors say.”

“Yeah, not so much anymore. Or at least not since the last month or so.” Jensen wasn’t sure why he was saying this to a janitor or why it was so much easier to say not only this but other things he recalled telling the man every time they’d gotten stuck in this tin can lately.

Usually Jensen was closed off. He’d been raised to cover his true emotions so people couldn’t see the scared boy inside the calm, cool professional. He even had a hard time talking to his boyfriend at times, especially lately since his job was keeping him distracted. Talking to J.T., even while trapped in an elevator in desperate need of some routine maintenance, seemed easier and it also worked to distract him from the thoughts of something snapping and them plunging to their deaths… even though logically Jensen knew they’d only climbed two or three floors from the parking lot.

“Don’t pay attention to the noise, Mr. Ackles.” J.T.’s voice brought Jensen back. “What happened to make something change?” he asked curiously. “What can I do to help keep you calm until someone gets this thing moving again?”

Jensen bit his lip at that loaded question. He opened his eyes just enough to look down at the man kneeling on the floor in front of him, staring back evenly as if daring him to change this little habit they’d seemed to have gotten into. “Distract me?” he asked quietly and felt the same hard hit to his chest like he did whenever the young janitor’s smile blossomed fully complete with dimples.

“With pleasure,” J.T. replied with a bright smile, letting the fingers of one hand trail up the wrinkled leg of pants he knew were normally pressed to such a crispness that it actually scared him. “You really did get up late. There isn’t a crease to be seen in these slacks,” he said sarcastically.

Jensen snorted, tensing when something outside the elevator made a noise that he really didn’t like but then glanced back down at the feel of long fingers loosening his belt so they could have access to the snap and fly of his slacks. “Blame my distracted boyfriend. He shut off my alarm and went to work but forgot to wake me up,” he muttered, not sure if he was angry by that or just frustrated. “I know he’s been working just as hard as I’ve been, and I know his project is just as important to him as this one is to me, but… sometimes I miss him being home at nights to talk to. Especially now,” he sighed.

“Why now?” J.T. asked curiously as he made fast and easy work of loosening the slacks enough that he could reach in and bring Jensen’s cock out into his hand, fingers light when they feathered over the length and he heard the soft murmur as the man slowly began to relax back against the elevator wall.

The first time this had happened had been an accident, or so the janitor told both himself and a guilty Jensen afterward. J.T. had known the man had a boyfriend, he knew they’d been dating seriously for over a year and he wasn’t one to come between that… until that first time the elevator had stopped working and he’d watched the calm, cool and collected Jensen Ackles break into a shaking mess as his phobia of enclosed spaces unexpectedly overwhelmed him.

Of course he supposed there had been other ways to calm the man down. He’d tried talking to him but the attack had come on so suddenly and so hard that the new janitor had to do something a bit more… extreme to get Jensen’s thoughts on him and off of his fears.

Because he felt kissing was a bit too far to go, he’d dropped to his knees easily and had the shaking man’s attention the moment he had his cock in his hand. “Nothing more,” he’d murmured at the wary, confused look being sent his way. “Think of it as a distraction until we get out of here. Talk to me while I blow you if you want… or can.”

“Asshole,” Jensen had managed to throw back at that mild challenge while vowing that this would only happen this one time. He loved his frustrating jerk of a boyfriend and wouldn’t betray him. He’d made that vow and thought he could keep it… until the next week when it seemed the elevator Gods had it in for him because every Thursday he’d end up running late for some reason, would run into J.T. in the parking lot elevator and the damn machine always broke down on this day.

This Thursday, however, was an especially bad day for it since Jensen knew he had that meeting. He also knew his boss was looking for a reason to yell at him or try to fire him, so getting stuck in this box with a hot as hell janitor who had lips that Jensen would go to hell before admitting were almost as hot as the man himself, was just was not a good thing.

Biting his lip at the first feel of those plush lips closing over the head of his cock nearly had him groaning but he managed to hold that back. He did let his fingers reach out to run through thick, dark, wavy hair that brushed the broad shoulders that the denim coveralls covered.

Head falling back Jensen muttered a soft oath while trying to remember what he had been asked earlier because this time the feel of the hot, moist heat of the mouth slipping up and down his cock in combination to the fingers that had slid inside his opened slacks to find and gently massage his balls, already had him a trembling mess.

“My… my boss… he hired his daughter as an intern a couple months back,” he began tightly, voice dropping lower as he began to relax fully without even thinking about it. “J.D., he knows I’m gay. He knew it when he hired me cause I was open about it, but this girl… this 20-something girl who thinks she owns the world because her Daddy owns this firm came onto me one night when I was trying to finish this latest design.

“I was polite. I… _damn_ , you are so hot doing that, I told her I wasn’t into girls and that I was dating a guy. But she kept pushing and pushing until finally I told her to back the hell off or else I’d be filing a sexual harassment suit.” Jensen’s fingers were curling tighter into the long hair he had a hold of and eased his grip as he mistook the low grunt he heard as pain from pulling too hard. “Two days later, J.D.’s in my office and he’s griping because I ‘hurt his little girl’s feelings’ and that it might ‘look better for my career if I… played ball with her, if I wanted to finish not only this account but… any others’.”

Hazel eyes lifted while J.T. worked to not lose his concentration on blowing Jensen; it was harder now as he took this news in and realized what had suddenly been behind Jensen’s sudden change in demeanor. Letting his tongue slip out to lick over the slit on the head of Jensen’s cock he could taste the sweet and salty flavor and knew the man was getting close.

“Since then it’s pretty obvious my skill and reputation isn’t enough to keep the bastard from firing me and… my boyfriend has been so distracted with his own problems and stuff that I haven’t been able to talk to him. I’m not sure if I even should.” Jensen gasped, struggling to keep his hips from moving. But when he felt a fingernail rake up the sensitive nerve on the underside of his cock at the same second a gentle hand pressed up behind his balls, his hips jutted forward and the next thing Jensen knew, he shouted and then felt himself come with a moan of a name that both men knew was right.

J.T. had locked his lips tight around the head of Jensen’s cock once he was sure he was close and moved the fingers of his free hand over the slick cock he’d just been sucking on while giving heavy balls a final squeeze, pressing the spot he knew on instinct would cause a reaction. He wasn’t disappointed.

Watching Jensen climax just from a quick blowjob in the stuck elevator would always be the hottest thing for J.T. and he’d miss it once it was time for him to move on; which if things worked out, would be soon. That was why after he felt Jensen’s orgasm was at its end and he’d pulled off with a wet pop after carefully tucking the man back inside his clothes so it wouldn’t look too obvious at what had just happened, he stood with easy grace for a man so tall and cupped Jensen’s face between calloused hands to smile into his dazed face.

“Yes, you should talk to your boyfriend. And don’t worry about your ass of a boss. Those things have a way of working out one way or another,” he said and gave a soft smile as he placed a light, almost chaste kiss to the corner of Jensen’s mouth. The kiss was timed perfectly because just as J.T. pulled back, the elevator suddenly gave a hard jerk before it began making noise again. “See? I told you someone would get it working again before you turned into a pile of bones.”

“Smart ass,” Jensen muttered, cheeks heating from the look in deep hazel eyes that spoke of the desire of the other man, but a simple hand to the center of his coveralls had him nodding in understanding and stepping back. “If I get fired for being late I’ll remind you of that.”

“You won’t get fired for being late.” J.T. was certain of that. He bent down to hand Jensen his briefcase and portfolio. “Mr. Ackles?” He saw the small smile he always did when he called Jensen that but chose to stay serious as he watched the elevator climb to the floor below the one Jensen needed. “I know I might be speaking out of turn as only a janitor but… don’t let anyone make you doubt yourself. If you weren’t good enough, this client from hell never would’ve insisted on you as his architect and wouldn’t have pushed you so damn hard for what he knew would be your best. Don’t ever forget it. I’ll see ya around.”

Jensen had been trying to regain his composure while making sure he looked as okay as he could considering  he’d basically thrown on clothes that morning and then had J.T. disheveling them, when he felt the elevator stop and heard the doors open just as something the man said hit him. “Wait. What…” he started to ask only to see J.T. was already wheeling his cart out the door and the doors were closing. “Damn.”

Taking the short time he had left to will his nerves back down, Jensen slid his fingers back through his hair to try to make it look presentable and replayed those last words spoken to him by a man he seemed to sense he’d never see again. He wondered if it was remorse he was feeling considering he’d just started to get used to these weekly break-downs. Then the door opened and he had no more time to wonder about anything other than keeping his job.

“The boss has been stalking the office looking for you,” his secretary said as soon as Jensen stepped out. “Luckily, your client is running behind due to some construction on Madison and Main so he isn’t here yet but you have about five minutes to soothe J.D. or else someone else might be finishing this account,” she warned grimly.

“It’s not my damn fault the elevator in his damn building keeps breaking down with me in it!” Jensen replied as he bolted down the hall to his office. “Fix the damn elevators in this place and maybe I wouldn’t have been stuck in it!” he snapped before his furious employer could jump down his throat. “I have the latest plans drawn up with all of his demands highlighted and pointed out on the blueprints. If he’s not happy this time, then give the damn asshole to Liz because I’m done trying to please him!”

J.D. Morgan turned from where he’d been stalking the cluttered office to glare at Jensen. “You knew this meeting was important. If he doesn’t like this design after nearly eight months of you wasting his and my time then the client is more than likely going to take this project to another firm across town!” he shouted furiously, eyeing the man with a scowl. “And now you dress like a bum when coming to work now? I should fire you for—”

“Funny how I was your best designer up until I wouldn’t put out for your precious little girl, J.D.” Jensen was frustrated, he was nervous, and knew he was crossing a lot of lines but while he was prepared to deal with his hard to work with client, he was not willing to be screamed at by his employer when they both knew what his problem with Jensen suddenly was. “You try to fire me over anything but my inability to please a client and I will nail your ass with sexual harassment charges since we both know that’s what it is! And-”

“You little…” J.D. started to reach out as if to grab the suddenly back pedaling Jensen when a low cough was heard from the door. J.D. was quick to turn on a totally different exterior as he turned to face the client in question. “Mr. Padalecki, I’m so sorry you had the hassle of traffic this morning but I assure you that this meeting will be very… productive.” He shot a frowning Jensen a warning scowl while motioning to a table. “Jensen has been hard at work with some of our very best new young designers and I think they’ve…”

Jensen had been rolling out the blueprints on the board when he heard this. “Excuse me?” he started to say, temper and fury now outweighing the nerves he had about this design being shot down. “I’ve…”

Jared Padalecki leaned in the door to the office to look between the designer and the head of the firm. The tension between them was easy to see even if he hadn’t heard and seen what he had before letting his presence be known. Straightening to his full height of 6’4”, he removed his leather jacket and took his time in hanging it up on the coat rack in the corner of the office before also choosing to remove the Stetson hat he usually wore to keep his long, thick dark hair out of hazel eyes. Hazel eyes that were usually light and mixed with flecks of golds and blues when he was happy; right then they were tinged with more gold as he leveled a look to a scowling J.D.

“I think you meant to say that Jensen has been working hard to make me a design for my park that suits all my needs,” he remarked in a tone heavy with a Texas accent, but he dropped it to a softer, more casual drawl as he stepped closer to where Jensen was standing near the design board with one hand clenched into a fist out of sight of his boss. “Show me what you made for me this time, Sugar.”

At 29, Jared had taken over the head of his family business of amusement and nature parks. When he did, he had his own vision that he wanted to follow and had done so without care of who he pissed off with his sharp, one track minded demands.

He knew people found him difficult to work with. He knew that most people in this firm and others in the city had refused to work with him. And that was fine with him. He’d gone into this new project, a large park and nature reserve to be built on land he’d bought outside of San Antonio, knowing exactly who he wanted to design the plans. It was then just a matter of making it happen since he knew how the designer in question felt about mixing business with pleasure.

Normally the little pet name irked Jensen, as did the way the man always seemed to be a step too close to him whenever he stood near him to glance over the complicated and intricate designs for both the park and the nature reserve. Today though, with the way J.D. was glaring and with what Jensen suspected had been about to happen if Jared hadn’t stepped in the door when he had, he was a little more willing to allow both.

Feeling the hard muscled chest pressing against his back as Jared stood to look over his shoulder, he considered giving a slight elbow in reminder to watch his manners only to go rigid when J.D. began speaking again directly to his client.

“Mr. Padalecki, Jared… if you still find any fault in this latest design, I’ll apologize now. I fear Jensen has been having some… personal difficulties that I wasn’t aware of before giving your project to him.” J.D. scowled at Jensen’s frown and started to step closer as if to put a hand on either the blueprints or the designer only to find his hand knocked away by Jensen. “Jensen, if I could have a word with you in my office?” he asked tightly.

“No, he’s busy explaining this blueprint to me. So go away, J.D.,” Jared spoke up, eyes still moving over the impressive design. “Or, if you won’t go away, then go sit down and shut up until I’m ready to talk to you.”

Not used to be spoken to like he’d just been, it took J.D. a moment before he finally snapped his mouth shut and moved to sit down at the table in the office.

Jensen hadn’t meant to shove the hand away but he knew if J.D. had touched him right then that the man would’ve ended up bleeding and that wasn’t something he wanted to happen… yet. Now he was fighting not to smirk at the quick and effective way his egotistical employer had been dismissed by someone he knew J.D. thought of as arrogant and spoiled.

Swallowing the lump in his throat and wishing desperately for a cup of coffee or alcohol to settle his nerves again, Jensen lifted a finger to touch a spot in the center of the design. “I took your latest line of critiques as well as the things you’ve mentioned more than once when I did this design,” he began slowly, hating that Jared could make him so nervous when he’d presented considerably bigger designs to much larger clients. But this one mattered to him for more than just keeping his job. “I have some drawings for the center statue you wanted at the front and the center of the park. They’re rough, and certainly not final, but it’ll give you an idea of what fits in the scheme of the blueprints,” he said while holding his breath as Jared stepped to the side so he could look at the full design a little closer.

When Jared Padalecki stayed silent, eyes raking over the design, Jensen cleared his throat and continued explaining. “Um, here the path runs the full scope of both the park and the reserve with plenty of spots for benches or picnic tables so people can rest. I also marked a spot where I thought it might be nice for a little playground for kids since it’s sheltered by trees and…” Slowly Jensen was gaining confidence, especially after he thought he saw an actual grin curving Jared’s lips as he moved his hand over the blueprints that Jensen had been pouring his heart into for the last three weeks.

“Mr. Padalecki isn’t interested in trees or playgrounds, Ackles,” J.D. hissed from behind them. “His family business is high tech amusement parks that make him money with rides and food! I told you to focus on clearing that land for bigger rides and--” J.D. was disgusted by what he was seeing as failure and the possible loss of a major account.

Jared had been eyeing the various marked spots on the blueprints, knowing those were the spots he was meant to focus on and he was trying to remind himself to appear cool and serious. It was hard when every ounce of him was doing backflips internally as he took in the newest design and knew that _this_ had been what he’d been pushing Jensen so hard to achieve.

Every design had been beyond great, had been perfect. Every design that he’d shot down actually would’ve worked for what he wanted except he knew in his heart that the designer had been holding back for some reason. Now as he listened to Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s hard voice belittling both the man and the design, he suspected he knew the cause of not only Jensen holding back on his skill but also the change in behavior these past months.

Hearing Jensen gritting his teeth and feeling his whole body go rigid, Jared straightened up to glance behind them both at the head of the firm. “My family business is in those types of things, that is true,” he began slowly, fingers carding back through his hair in a way that he did when on edge and deciding how best to handle a situation. “However, this park is _my_ project and not part of Padalecki Amusements, Inc. as a whole. That means, what I want for this park and the accompanying nature reserve is more casual, more… simple so people can experience nature instead of technology. I explained that to my architect at our first meeting. You had no right to tell him anything given that you were not included in those meetings.

“Also, since you seem to be so damn insistent on getting under Jensen’s skin today as well as on my last damn nerve, let me make one other thing perfectly clear to you, J.D.” Jared stepped away from Jensen and more toward the scowling J.D. Morgan, hearing a soft voice speak his name but choosing to ignore it for the moment. “You didn’t _give_ this account to him. You weren’t given an option but to assign my project to Jensen because I _demanded_ him.

“I refused to work with any of those other so-called up and coming young designers as you called them earlier. I refused then and I will refuse now if you get it in your head to either try to remove Jensen from this project as head designer or fire him for whatever burr crawled up your tight ass suddenly,” he went on in a voice that showed his disgust with how the man was acting as well as treating someone as talented as Jensen. “I came to your firm because I wanted _him_ to design for _me_.” He jerked a thumb back at Jensen, refusing to look at the man because he knew if he saw the expression on the man’s face then he would punch J.D. right on his ass.

“And that’s why he’s wasted both your time and my money designing useless crap for eight months!” J.D. had just about had enough of this arrogant ass.

He’d been reluctant to take his project despite knowing that the Padalecki name would certainly increase the reputation of his firm in San Antonio. He’d heard all the stories and rumors about the youngest son who had been given the responsibility of the business when his father decided to move to Europe with his Mistress. Jared Tristan Padalecki has a reputation in the business world as hard, arrogant, self-serving as well as demanding and a perfectionist asshole. He also had the rumors swilling around him that he might be gay.

J.D. gave lip service to equal opportunity and had hired Jensen even after the handsome young man had admitted that he was openly gay. He’d really only hoped to be able to use his desire for success to provide arm candy for his daughter once she joined the firm.

Once Jensen refused his daughter’s advances, once he threatened to file that law suit if she didn’t stop bothering him and refused J.D.’s own orders to play ball or else he’d be finding his ass on the street with no referral from his firm, the older man was now tired of dealing with both men and was willing to lose the huge profit some stupid park might bring in.

“Is that what you think?” Jared’s lips curved into a slow smile, amused by this as he sat in a chair at the table and casually swung his denim clad legs up so his scarred work boots hit the table. He didn’t miss the low hiss from the architect behind him. “You think he wasted my time? You think I was dissatisfied with all of those other well thought out, well designed blueprints and that was why I refused them? J.D., I guess what my grandfather said about you when he heard which firm I was heading for was right. You are nothing but an arrogant, homophobic bastard who can’t see talent when it’s right in front of you.

“I didn’t turn those other designs down because they weren’t any good. I turned them down because I knew Jensen could do better. And he has.” He glanced back with a slow smile to see Jensen’s eyes had widened but it was the too pale cheeks that warned him that he’d allowed other things to keep him too distracted as of late and Jensen’s confidence had paid the price for it. “I could’ve greenlighted the first damn design he showed to me but I knew, and I knew he knew, that he could do better. So I kept turning them down and being a hardass.

“That design right there? _That’s_ the design that I knew he had in him and _that’s_ the one I will green light for my project but only so long as Jensen remains as the architect for the duration.” Jared sat up to meet the hard stare of the older man. “I will not work with you. I will not work with anyone else. I also want it put in the contract that Jensen gets full credit for the design. I’m willing to give credit to your firm in a small degree but the design is Jensen’s and if you try to take that from him because he ‘works’ for you then I think it might be time for him to quit before you fire him. I’m pretty sure any other firm in this city would snatch him up.”

J.D. glared at the young Texan for a long moment. He knew if he ruined this deal, Padalecki could ruin him. He wasn’t used to being the one backed into a corner but knew he had been and expertly done it seemed. Any way he moved now would look like he was lashing out at his designer in a way that could have a lawsuit brought on to his firm.

Finally coughing, he suddenly smiled while extending a hand as if nothing was wrong and he hadn’t just been insulting his star designer in front of a client. “No, of course I wouldn’t dream of replacing Jensen as the designer for your project, Jared. He’s my _best_ designer and I’m glad to see that you saw that raw talent in him like I have and… huh?”

A hand wrapped tightly in his tie to yank him closer to a still smiling Jared, but the temper sizzling on the surface could be easily seen. “You are a two-faced, lying, weasel of a man who hasn’t seen anything in this man but what you think you and your talented staff can steal out from under him or use him for!” he growled in a low, tight voice, hearing as well as feeling a hand on his shoulder this time when Jensen finally stepped closer to touch him. “Fine, I won’t punch him in his face for being a jackass but I’m not promising it won’t happen anytime between now and when the park opens, Jensen.”

Letting go of his grip on the tie, he stepped back from J.D. but kept his place between the older man and Jensen. “I want this design. I had my lawyers draw up a contract that you can have your people go over but I’ve been assured it’s standard and you should have no problem with it.” He pulled a folded set of papers out of his jacket to hold out to a stunned J.D.

“My lawyer is waiting for your call if you want to go over anything with her while I stay here and have everything explained to me. There’s a clause in the contract where I can request small changes but nothing my architect would have serious issues with I’m sure.” Jared glanced back just in time to see Jensen roll his eyes and mutter something under his breath that he wouldn’t be too sure about that. “Read it, bitch to my lawyer, then bitch to me while I sign it, but I want it signed by end of the business day today because we break ground the end of next week.”

Swallowing his next comment, J.D. gave the contract a once over to see that is was very close to a standard contract with just a few clauses that he supposed he could live with. “I don’t see there being any problems but I will go over it. If you want to stop by my office before you… leave, it should be ready to sign,” he said before stomping out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

Jensen had been holding his breath during this near confrontation. He knew J.D. would try to make his life hell as it was because he refused to date or be arm candy for his daughter. Being backed into a corner like he had been wouldn’t ease the tension any and he had to wonder if maybe he shouldn’t just resign and hope he could find another job in the city.

Blowing out a breath, he decided to play it by ear and see what happened later in the day since he knew his boss wouldn’t say or do anything so long as the client was in the building. “Okay. So since you finally agreed to one of my designs… I’m choosing to ignore that you could’ve approved any of them these last eight months. Come here so I can go over it with you fully so you can be sure it’s exactly what you envisioned it to be and that you understand everything,” he said, having to push his glasses back up again to see the design and sighing when he once again felt the hard body stepping up behind him. “I guess we’ll have to have that talk on personal space again?”

“What’s that?” Jared smiled but then let himself be led around the blueprint step by step until Jensen was certain he understood everything about it and that everything worked for him. “Well since I think I’ve taken up enough of your time and you probably have to do actual work to make this blueprint work or something, I’ll just head for Morgan’s office and sign a contract,” he said finally, reaching for his Stetson and leather jacket. “I know I’ve been an ass to work for or with, and I won’t say I won’t be during this project, but I just want you to know that I look forward to seeing you help me make that plan a reality.”

Looking at Jared as he stood with his head on the door, Jensen merely nodded. “I should have the final draft done tomorrow if I work through the night or…”

“Don’t work through the night, Jensen.” Jared paused in leaving to look back and could easily see the exhaustion on the rugged face as well as the shadows that had returned. A cheap little blond stuck her head in but had immediately backed out again after seeing Jensen wasn’t alone. “The final draft can wait a day or so. Go home. Celebrate that you actually got a plan approved by me.”

Jensen did consider that a win… unless he thought too much and then he figured he would get pissed off. For the moment, he’d take the win, but still frowned at the thought of going home to an empty house since he knew his boyfriend was probably still too busy to join him.

“Don’t brood, Jensen. I promise by weeks end all will seem a lot better,” Jared offered with a wink that made Jensen chuckle. “I’ll call you if I have another thought to add to the statue in the entrance,” he called while leaving.

“Joy,” Jensen returned good naturedly since he knew it would take at least a week for his client to actually think up something to want to change… he hoped.

The rest of the day passed quickly for Jensen. He did do some redraws of his sketches, adding a couple things that he now thought would fit the feel of the park better. He ignored the repeated visits by his boss’ too pushy daughter until she had the audacity to actually crawl on to his lap and kiss him, tongue and all, and Jensen reacted on pure instinct when he stood up at the same time as he shoved her away.

“Get the hell away from me!” he shouted, furious that even after telling the young woman that he was gay, that he was in a committed relationship, that she still came onto him and was bold enough to kiss him. “I’ve told you and J.D. that I’m not going to be used. I’m not your type and even if I was straight, you would be the last woman I’d be interested in. Now get the hell out of my office and—”

A hard slap from a hand complete with razor sharp nails had Jensen’s head moving but it was her accompanying words that had his temper sizzling.

“You work for my father! And if you want to keep this fancy office and that fancy new contract with that hot ass cowboy than you’d better be prepared to get used a lot, pretty boy!” she screeched, furious as his refusal when she was used to getting her way with anything she wanted. “I’ve told Daddy I want you and what I want, I get so—”

“Not from me, bitch!” Jensen was furious. He had a brief second to run his options before he grabbed what little he had in his drawers, dumped it in his briefcase, rolled up the blueprints that he still considered his and stormed past the screeching woman down the hall to her father’s office. “I will not be a whore for your daughter!”

J.D. was still going over the contract that hadn’t been ready to sign before Padalecki had left. It could’ve been but he decided to make the cowboy wait since he hadn’t like his attitude, or how he’d talked to him earlier, or how he seemed to have been defending Jensen’s talent to him.

Looking up as Jensen stormed into the office to make that declaration; he leaned back in his chair to tap the contract. “You will if you want this project with Padalecki,” he said smugly, seeing the way Jensen’s face paled. “I could hold his arrogant ass up in negotiations now or force him to work with another, more talented designer and--”

“Did he sign?” Jensen suddenly demanded, seeing the contract on the desk and grabbing it without thinking. Not seeing a signature of either man, he knew what was happening and how it would play out. “He hasn’t signed. He won’t sign shit now,” he said and tore the contract up, seeing the rage on J.D.’s face as the man shot to his feet. But Jensen no longer cared.

The words of J.T. the janitor played in his head from that morning, the softly whispered encouragement he’d always managed to give each time they’d run into one another and slowly, finally, Jensen thought he understood them.

“In my contract it states that any unused design is still mine to retain so… I’m taking my design and walking out this door. You can say you fired me or that I quit, but if you try to blackball me with any other agency in San Antonio or the entire goddamn state of Texas, I will sue your ass and your daughter’s for sexual harassment,” Jensen stated in a tone that was ice cold, glaring at his now shouting former boss. “You basically said to a client that you think I’m worthless and have no talent, I know what you feel now and only since I refused to play your games did the truth come out. Fuck you, J.D. I can do better because I _am_ better.”

Jensen left the office without looking back and only once he was away from the building and pulling into the driveway of the home he shared with his boyfriend did it start to sink in what he’d just done and how it could affect everything he had.

Not seeing the old beat-up pick-up in the driveway or garage made him a little sad but he wasn’t really surprised. He was struggling with making his suddenly shaking hands stop shaking as he tried to unlock the front door and not drop anything when suddenly he nearly fell forward when the door was unexpectedly pulled open.

“Son of a bitch!” Jensen yelped in his surprise, feeling everything he’d been trying to keep from falling drop when he went to catch himself, only to feel strong arms wrapping around him as he was caught and brought against a hard muscled chest.

“Hey Sugar, long time no see.”

**TBC**   



	2. Chapter 2

**Distracted and Encouraged**

**Chapter Two**

The low, soft, Texas drawl that spoke went straight to Jensen’s heart and even though he was surprised to hear it, he was already latching onto the man’s waist to just hold on while letting himself be held.

Hearing the voice of his boyfriend had surprised him since Jensen hadn’t seen the truck, but right then he was willing to ignore that and another half a dozen things in favor of taking comfort in strong arms that he knew could shoulder the load of crap he was about to dump on him.

“I quit my job,” he announced without looking up, content to just let his head rest against the strong heartbeat he could hear under his ear.

“Yeah, I know you did,” Jared Padalecki murmured while managing to get Jensen and his belongings inside the front door fully, giving him room to nudge it closed with the toe of his old battered and scarred work boots--or as he’d taken to calling them, his ‘Thursday boots’. “The asshole had the guts to call my office to tell me some cock and bull story about you coming onto his ‘poor, innocent little girl’ and how he’d _had_ to fire you and might be looking into filing charges, plus a few other nifty lies. Then I gave him the shocking news on how that might not be the smartest move on his part.”

Jensen wasn’t surprised that J.D. had called Jared with lies about him. After all, the man had no clue about the reason Jared had gone through their agency to work with Jensen specifically, or that he was Jensen’s very committed boyfriend, or that it had been Jensen’s refusal to mix professional with personal in the first place that had made the ruse a necessity.

That call had been only one of the reasons that Jared had come home to wait for his boyfriend. As he felt Jensen’s legs and hands shake, Jared knew that it began to hit him that he’d just quit his one source of income and might’ve ruined any chance of being hired again if Morgan spread lies about him. Jared gently led him into the living room.

“Sit down and tell me what happened after I left,” he encouraged after going into the kitchen and making coffee in the new coffee maker he’d been smart enough to buy earlier. “Or better yet, go take a shower and change. Then you can come watch me finish the romantic dinner I decided to surprise you with while you tell me everything that I’ve been too stupid and blind to see has been happening.” Jared paused and then sighed, turning to give Jensen his full attention.

“Jen, why the hell didn’t you kick my ass to get my attention when things started getting like that down there or when she started hassling you?” Jared demanded, not angry like he had been when he’d heard Jensen earlier that morning. “I know we agreed the first time I ambushed you in the elevator that it was role play and that I wouldn’t bring up anything you ever said to ‘J.T.’ until you were ready to talk to me about it, but…” He knelt down beside the sofa as Jensen had just dropped onto his stomach to bury his face in a pillow. “Jensen, I thought you knew _why_ I was pushing you so hard. If I had ever once thought that you believed I was turning down your designs because I found them ‘lacking’ I would’ve talked with you! And… what was up with the ‘hot brunette’ comment? Talk to me, Sugar.”

Jensen knew all of that stuff he’d been able to ‘vent’ in the elevator would come back to haunt him. He’d known it from the first damn time his boyfriend had literally ‘ambushed’ him one Thursday morning pretending to be a janitor.

Because of their busy schedules, it had been hard for them to find any time together unless it was work related and Jensen hadn’t wanted it revealed yet to anyone at his work that Jared was his boyfriend because he knew how J.D. would react to that news.

The roleplay idea served to give the men a chance to be together but, because Jensen was stressed and he and Jared did seem to be pulling apart at times, it also allowed him to vent to someone he felt safe with. At the start, he had been surprised that Jared hadn’t brought anything up or teased him by some of the things he’d said. It had only been in the last month or so that Jensen had started revealing his more disturbing issues.

Because of how he’d been raised, it was hard for Jensen to admit things that bothered or worried him. It also hadn’t helped that Jared had been busy trying to clear up the last few legal issues with getting the ground ready for his park project. So Jensen had been burying things a lot more; it had been easier that way.

That day he’d let a few more things come out and now that he’d quit, now that he was faced with having to talk with Jared anyway, he guessed he owed the man the truth.

“Let me shower and get the feel of her off of me,” he murmured, turning his face from the pillow to see Jared nod. Jensen smiled at the touch of gentle fingers carding back through his short wavy hair.

As he waited for Jensen to finish his shower, Jared laid out the ingredients for the pasta dinner he’d planned since he knew it was Jensen’s favorite. It was a rarity for Jared to cook; ever since he took over the family business, he was usually busy. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t. He’d been taught to cook, and cook well, so he’d planned to that night even before everything had happened.

As he began dicing onions and tomatoes, Jared started to think. He hadn’t liked Jensen believing he wasn’t talented enough to design for him, or that his ‘talent’ might be why Jared had been turning designs down. He also hadn’t liked his lover’s stubborn insistence to keep their business lives away from their personal one and knew now that would be impossible. It would just be a matter of encouraging Jensen to still have faith in his design to be able to run with it if given the right tools.

Before he’d left the office, he’d spoken to his lawyer to explain what had been going on and what had happened. Now, in between sautéing onions, he gave the woman a text to inform her of what might be happening and to see what she could do to ensure Jensen’s break from the firm would be clean, that J.D. Morgan couldn’t or wouldn’t do anything to hurt his future career choices.

Jared had opened a bottle of wine earlier and now poured two glasses, setting them aside for the moment to focus on stirring the red sauce when he smiled at the feel of Jensen’s arms wrapping around his waist from behind. “Feel better?” he asked, automatically holding out the spoon for a taste.

“Yeah, a little. I felt better the second I realized you were home… Where’s your truck?” Jensen replied, tasting the sauce and sighing in pleasure at the taste. “God, I forgot how good this sauce is. Missed being able to eat with you like this, Babe,” he murmured and accepted the glass of wine.

“Because I wanted to surprise you, I left it at the office and got a ride home,” Jared explained, tossing some Grecian bread on the grill plate to warm before turning it into garlic bread. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here more or here for you, Jensen.” He glanced beside him to see Jensen had changed into faded jeans and a t-shirt that had once been Jared’s, so it was a little loose on Jensen’s leaner body. “I guess I didn’t realize how much this project has been driving me and keeping me busy until today. I’m sorry.

“I’m sorry I got so distracted by the project and the legal loopholes recently that I hadn’t seen what you’ve been going through or realizing what you needed from me. I’m sorry that you ever thought I was turning those plans down because I didn’t like them or they weren’t right,” he began, trying to nudge Jensen into a chair at the table so he could sit and relax. He sighed softly, giving up when he realized that his boyfriend seemed more comfortable standing beside him cutting up greens for a salad. “Jensen, I am _so_ damn sorry that what I did gave that prick the chance to start putting doubts in your head about your talent. That is so not what I ever wanted to happen. It was the talent I knew you had that kept me pushing you so hard.”

Jensen knew that and he’d know that if Jared would’ve had any doubts about his ability as an architect that he never would’ve asked him to design for him. It had just gotten too easy with how tired he’d been and how long the process had taken to allow J.D.’s little digs to get into his head.

“It’s partly my fault for being stubborn and wanting to keep that side between us all business...” Jensen admitted, giving his boyfriend a sheepish smile. “People, including myself, call you a perfectionist but I’m no better.” He paused in dicing up a small tomato to lean against Jared’s shoulder. “I want it to be perfect because I know this project is important to you. When you kept turning down the designs or finding little faults in them… I guess all those doubts from years ago when I was told I’d never be any good and would never succeed at drawing or designing began to come back.

“Then when J.D.’s daughter started coming onto me a lot more and he began to make every day a living hell, I wanted to talk with you, to tell you how I was feeling and ask you what the hell was wrong with those designs, but you weren’t here as much. And when you _were_ here, you were exhausted. I didn’t want to bother you or…”

Placing the spoon down on the stove, Jared turned so he could place his hands on the counter which effectively boxed Jensen in. “You could never bother me, Jensen. I told you before that I would always be here with and for you,” he stated but knew he’d screwed that up. “I know I haven’t been lately… but as of right now, that will all change. I will start to leave work at work and I will make certain I’m home so we can share meals together again. And there will be time for us to… make out because while I really did enjoy these Thursday moments in that elevator, it was getting really hard to explain to the dry cleaner what was going on.” He grinned and once he heard Jensen’s light laugh, he felt a little better.

Jensen reached up to wrap his arms around Jared’s neck, pulling him closer so their lips could touch. At the first light kiss he groaned. “I missed being able to kiss you,” he said into the next kiss that was slowly heating. “I know it was what we both agreed on but… I still missed that. I think I might also miss J.T.’s blowjobs too... Jay!” He gasped when suddenly Jared’s hands were on his hips and lifting him up so Jensen was sitting on the counter with his boyfriend stepping closer.

“I happen to have elevators in my office building and I can say with a good certainty that there might be a possibility if you come around sometime, or even better let me set you up with an office there for the time being so you can still work _with_ me on the project, that there might even be a janitor and a broken down elevator. Or a utility closet. Or…” Jared’s dimples popped out with his full smile at Jensen’s deep laugh as he continued to kiss Jensen’s lips in-between offering suggestions for places in his building where fast sex could happen.

“Wait… work with you?” Jensen had been torn between laughing, wrapping his legs around Jared’s waist and debating between making good use of the sturdy kitchen table or actually finishing dinner when that phrase sank in. He pulled back slightly to look into his boyfriend’s face. “You want me to work with you on the park? Still? I… mmhm--” He cut off when Jared’s lips found his in a deep, hard kiss that he softened after a moment when he felt Jensen lean into him more.

When he pulled back, Jared ran a hand back through Jensen’s hair before cupping the side of his face. “Jensen, working with you on this project has been what I wanted all along,” Jared told him, seeing the slight surprise looking back at him and recalling that Jensen’s early life had not always been as easy as Jared’s had been.

While Jared came from a family well established in name and financial security, Jensen had come from a dysfunctional home with an abusive mother and a father who didn’t give a damn. Where Jared’s family, even his divorced parents, supported and encouraged him, Jensen’s had knocked him down and belittled him at every turn.

The story of how they met was one Jared enjoyed telling, but not for the reason some of his friends thought. Some thought he enjoyed telling of how he met Jensen because it was a ‘once in a life time romance story’. The man had been waiting tables at a small restaurant that Jared had gone to one evening for a party and he had very literally bumped into him while Jensen had been clearing a table nearby.

Jared had felt bad for causing all of the dishes Jensen had in his hands to break and he had immediately gone to the manager to explain that the broken dishes had been his fault, not Jensen’s. Then with a quick flash of his card, he paid for the items rather than allow them to be taken out of Jensen’s check as the stern faced man had threatened.

A week later after Jared had been going to the small restaurant pretty regularly he’d been surprised one day when he’d stopped in to learn that not only had Jensen quit, but had asked the manager to give Jared something for him.

“Jensen’s a smart boy but he’s also proud as hell,” the manager told a confused Jared after he’d opened the envelope to see it contained money. “When he figured out that you were coming in, sitting in his sections after asking for him to be your waiter and that you were tipping way too much, he told me to give you that back the next time and to ‘thank you but he wasn’t a charity case’.”

It took a lot of work on Jared’s part, and a lot of begging people who worked for his grandfather, to find out where Jensen Ackles was working now. Jared had been slightly pissed, a lot confused, and he wanted something straightened out.

“I never said you were a damned charity case so wherever the hell you got that from is a mystery to me,” Jared had said the moment Jensen stepped out of the run down old diner that he was now working at, finding Jared waiting for him to get off shift. “And instead of talking to me, of asking me anything about maybe _why_ I tipped you so much, you chose to quit a damn job where people actually tip their wait staff to work _here_?”

Jensen had been surprised to see Jared but had been too tired to realize his reason for tracking him down. “I know who you are, Mr. Padalecki,” he began in what he’d thought was his best calm tone given that he was exhausted, his feet hurt, and he had to get home and finish a project for one of his final classes of that semester at the local community college. “I was told by others at the restaurant that caught on before I did why you were probably over tipping me or coming back so often.

“I’m not rich. I’m not smart. But I swore when I got out of the hellhole I grew up in, when I managed to make it on my own for two years in community college and still work enough to keep a roof over my head, that I would never accept anything that I hadn’t worked to earn.” He wasn’t used to actually looking up at someone to see their eyes, so that little issue made Jensen a bit more on edge on top of being ready to drop. “I know what people see when they look at me. I’ve known it since I was a kid and my old man told me I would never amount to anything, much less be smart enough to ever achieve my dream. But I will. One day I will, and one day I won’t have to have quit a good job to take a crappier one because my damn car broke down and I can’t get it fixed and this place is only three blocks from my apartment!

“I didn’t earn that money you tipped me, so I gave it back. I’m sorry if that hurt your pride. You saw some poor guy nearly lose it in front of you at the threat of his boss taking those dishes out of my pay and immediately saw a charity case. All you see a charity case who might have too much pride for my own good, but I see myself refusing to ever be someone who takes when I don’t earn it.” Jensen paused to take a deep breath before making himself meet Jared’s eyes fully. “I don’t know you. You don’t know me. I’m kinda sorry about that, but… if I let you ‘give’ me anything just to make it easier on me then I will have betrayed every promise I made to myself. So… G’night, Mr. Padalecki.”

Jared had been stunned into silence. He hadn’t really ever been told something so flat out, so firmly, and also by someone who he realized had been kicked down so hard that Jensen honestly believed that he didn’t deserve to be helped. Of course, he also didn’t need to be hit on the head to see he had to change his approach as well as be honest with the man.

A week later, after Jared had done some more research and had practiced his pitch in his head to his nearly deaf but amused Grandmother 100 times, he headed for the diner and asked to be seated in Jensen’s section.

Then he merely waited. And he didn’t wait long.

“Huh. I see we’re going to have to talk about personal space or something,” Jensen had finally said once he’d seen Jared sitting in a booth in the back of his section. “Do you have a hard time understanding or should I start to worry about this being a stalking thing, Mr.-”

“Jared,” Jared had quickly interrupted since he hadn’t really considered that Jensen might think he was stalking him in a creepy way. “My name is Jared and… you said the other night that I didn’t know you or vice versa and how you kinda… regretted that. I… thought that maybe if I apologized for being a jerk and for coming on too strong that you might consider… letting me change that.”

Jensen had stared at him for several moments as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You… even after everything I said, after I was basically really rude, you still want to get to know me? Why?” he asked and would later kick himself for being so damn suspicious. “I meant what I said that other night. I am not a-”

“I don’t think you’re a damn charity case, Jensen!” Jared blew out a frustrated breath and figured if he could make this work that he’d just either found his soul mate or someone who would cause him to bang his head in within six months. “Because I don’t know you, I can’t say what I think you are besides a really hot guy who knows what he wants and wants to work for it. I can appreciate that. Can we… maybe talk one day when you’re not working and see who we are?” he’d asked and then offered his best and full dimpled smile which had earned him what he knew had been Jensen’s first real laugh.

When he told that story now, it wasn’t to try to say anything about the man Jensen had been or anything negative like a few former friends used to say. It was because Jared was so damn _proud_ of the man Jensen had become since their first meeting five years earlier.

Their relationship hadn’t been easy, since Jared naturally wanted to help and it had taken a few fights and a totally by bad luck meeting with his new boyfriend’s parents to make Jared understand why succeeding on his own as much as he could was so important to Jensen.

It was this need that still pushed Jensen even after he’d completed college and had worked damn hard at designing his portfolio to have been hired by the rather large and impressive firm owned by J.D. Morgan. It was Jensen’s need to still not be handed something for nothing that made Jared agree to go through the firm to get Jensen as his designer.

Except now, Jared feared the doubts put in Jensen’s head by the spiteful Morgan saying that he’d only been hired because he was gay and the man needed to appease local laws would end up tearing Jensen apart. He was still so shocked that Jared would want him as a part of his project; it broke Jared’s heart.

“Jen, listen to me,” Jared began while trying to find the right words or else he knew how this was going to turn out. “No matter what that ass said to you, or what he might say in the coming days or weeks, you know in all the time you’ve been working there that you built your reputation as a designer on your hard work and dedication to details and your clients wishes.” He framed Jensen’s face so he could meet green eyes that still were too doubtful. “Have I ever told you anything that I didn’t mean? Have you ever asked me for an opinion on anything and had me give you one just to soothe your feelings?”

Jensen frowned a little at that since there had been a few times when he had actually wished Jared wasn’t quite so honest, but he guessed that was the young man’s point now. “No. You haven’t,” he replied, taking a slow breath before letting it out and leaning forward to rest his forehead against Jared’s. “I love you, Jared Padalecki,” he said softly, going on while pressing light kisses over Jared’s face.

“I love you for being willing to put up with me and my pride, even when just giving you your way would make things so much easier for me. I love you for not freaking out about anything I might’ve said in that elevator or for not thinking I’m nuts for not being able to open up as easily as you do. But most of all, I love that despite being so damn busy and worried about getting this park project off the ground, you still came home today to pick up the pieces when I needed you to.” Jensen brushed his fingers over Jared’s cheek with a slow smile and then let Jared pull him off the counter and fully into his arms, kissing him slowly but deeply until both men were longing for more.

“Sugar, I’d been on my way home to be with you and surprise you with dinner even before Morgan called me,” Jared told him, briefly debating between food or sex when he decided that Jensen probably hadn’t been eating right lately. “I meant what I said about working with you on the park, Jen. If you would give me a chance to prove that we can actually combine business with pleasure, if you would allow me, or in this case Padalecki Amusement, Inc., to give you whatever you needed to make that design come true… I swear that you will be my equal partner in all aspects of it and I am not just handing you something that you haven’t earned. You will have earned everything that comes from this project.” He tipped Jensen’s face up with his fingers to see that his boyfriend was at least considering it. “Please?”

Jensen chewed the inside of his cheek while deciding whether or not he’d give in to his boyfriend’s wishful eyes, the one look Jared had that he had yet to form a full and total defense against.

He wanted to give Jared the best design possible and figured even if J.D. chose to fight him on who owned that last design that he could, with Jared’s encouragement and help, design something similar. As Jensen considered something that had been bothering him about the other plan, he realized maybe even something better.

“If I agree to work for you…” Jensen began, but stopped at Jared’s narrowed gaze, realizing his mistake. He smiled a little more. “If I agree to work _with_ you on the park and reserve, you need to promise me that work stays at work and nothing comes home. It is important to me that our home stays our home, Jay. I… I can’t have anything from the project follow us back here so that means if we disagree on anything or you have issues with someone, it needs to be handled there. I…”

Jared thought he understood the reasoning behind this request and immediately agreed. “Jensen? I know we’ve had this talk right from when we first started dating seriously but you do still believe me when I say that I will never raise a hand to you if or when we fight, right?” he asked slowly and recalled how wired Jensen had been earlier in the office when it looked like J.D. might react violently before Jared announced his arrival.

“Yeah, I know, Jay,” Jensen murmured. He crossed his wrists behind Jared’s neck to let his lips glide over the slight scruff on his jaw, smiling at the low whisper he heard from his boyfriend. “Dinner first and then you can seduce me.”

Jared was only too happy with that plan. Reluctantly letting Jensen go, he returned to the sauce simmering on the stove. From the corner of his eye he watched Jensen finish preparing the salad before going to pick up what had been dropped in the foyer when he literally fell in the door.

Stirring the sauce and putting the pasta in the water, Jared gave a peek out the door to frown when he noticed Jensen was sitting cross legged on the living room floor with the blueprint rolled out in front of him and a frown on his handsome face.

Jared debated on teasing his boyfriend about breaking his own rule about no work at home until he watched Jensen’s face light up with a joy that told him that he’d seen something or thought of something to add that would made the project even better.

It was that look of joy that had been what Jared had been after and why he’d pushed Jensen so hard. Seeing it now and seeing Jensen climb to his feet, grab the design and spread it out on the dining room table, reassured Jared that no matter what happened now with the project and beyond, he knew Jensen would be fine and would hopefully find his own confidence and continue getting stronger.

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And chapter 3 will probably go up if not tonight then tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Distracted and Encouraged**

**Chapter Three**

** 22 Months Later: **

Jensen Ackles wandered the crowded and packed pathways of the Hope Point Park and Nature Reserve with a look of awe and pride on his face.

The grand opening had been that morning and while Jensen had argued for weeks against it, Jared had insisted he help cut the ribbon, reasoning that in the last 22 months of construction, the project had become just as much Jensen’s as it was Jared’s.

From the night almost two years ago that he’d quit his job and agreed to work with his boyfriend on the project, Jensen had felt better about everything. He’d found his confidence again while working with Jared as well as his original love for design that had pushed him into the field in the first place.

By the time Jared had completed their romantic dinner, Jensen had practically redesigned his original design from park entrance to the last item of the reserve. It had been still bare bones when he’d showed it to Jared, all the while talking excitedly about what to keep from the other design and what he thought would work in place of others items or elements.

An hour later when Jensen had run out of steam, realizing he’d not only broken his own rule about work at the house but had also ruined their romantic dinner, he looked up to see Jared just staring between him and the pieces of paper that made no sense to anyone but Jensen at that moment. He started to apologize, chest tightening, when suddenly he found himself wrapped up in Jared’s arms, being kissed and kissed well.

“Now this is the man I fell head over heels in love with,” Jared said after he’d broken the kiss to let them both catch a breath. “This excited man who enjoys the work he does because he’s doing it without pressure from some jackoff who wouldn’t know decent design if it fell on him!” He grinned down into Jensen’s bright and happy eyes. “Food, drawing, or sex, Jen?”

“Food first, then hot sex, and I’ll design your park tomorrow when I wake up,” Jensen replied. That had almost been how it happened except Jared had woken up in the middle of the night to find that a sudden inspiration had hit Jensen and it had driven him to set up his old table top drawing board on the floor of their bedroom. He was madly measuring and marking without even being aware that Jared had woken up or that he’d turned on a brighter light so that he wasn’t straining his already weak eyes. Jared moved, slipping the man’s glasses onto his face, and Jensen barely registered him.

Jensen’s late night inspiration had become the focal point of the main park. A gilded gazebo sat on a small island in the middle of a man made pond that was accessed by a single arched bridge while swans and other birds floating in the clear water.

There was a matching one at the entrance to the nature reserve because Jared believed in things that matched, but the one on the pond was still, over everything in either section of the huge stretch of land, what always drew Jensen in whenever he’d come with Jared to check on progress. Hell, even now with the park open.

Jensen did feel a little guilty for slipping out of the grand opening shindigs back at the huge picnic area and for leaving Jared to play nice with not only the invited VIPs and the press, but also anyone else who wanted to thank or congratulate him on opening his dream.

Jensen still wasn’t comfortable with the attention he was receiving for his design for the project since Jared, as well as Jared’s grandparents, had insisted his name be included in nearly everything to do with it. They all felt he deserved the recognition for the massively successful design that had brought Jared’s dream to life.

Smiling when he heard the echo of Jared’s laugh from off in the distance, Jensen was just starting to turn when another voice had him freezing in step.

“So I guess ruining your career by storming out on my firm like a spoiled brat didn’t really matter when you’re fucking someone like Padalecki, Ackles,” J.D. Morgan spoke from behind him.

The man hadn’t been invited to the private opening but since the park was now open to the public, he’d decided to come see what it looked like. Once he’d caught a glance of Jensen alone, he decided to approach his ex-designer.

Jensen had had no dealings with the man or his firm once he’d walked out that day. Jared’s lawyers had taken care of it quickly the one time J.D. had tried to smear his name with vicious lies and rumors, as well as trying to accuse him of stealing his designs. Hearing him now had him fighting back all the doubts he’d buried since then but there was also a touch more anger than usual as well.

“If you wouldn’t have tried to turn me into a paid _whore_ for your daughter, I would’ve revealed my relationship with Jared once the final contract had been signed,” he began tightly, turning slowly but having to slip his hands into the pocket of his pressed and creased slacks to avoid letting the man see how badly he could still affect him. “It had been _my_ idea to have him go through the firm to have me design for him, so we planned on telling you. He’d basically been telling you that last day in the office if you had been listening instead of sulking.”

“So now you’re a paid whore for some rich arrogant asshole who will only humor you so long as he can get a piece of your useless ass,” J.D. scoffed, stepping closer and sneering when Jensen instinctively took a step back. “The papers might be touting you as the city’s new ‘Golden Boy’, but without the Padalecki name behind you, you will never design anything worth building. No one will ever hire you because you are a no-talent-”

Jensen could feel something inside him twisting as he heard those words mixing with those of his parents and it was taking everything he had to not bolt. But then he looked around at the people enjoying the park; the park that _his_ design had helped to create, and all the encouragement that Jared had always given him was heard in his head.

“The clients I designed for while working for you liked my work. I had one who said she left your firm after learning I’d quit because none of your ‘hot’ designers could draw what she wanted. She paid me more than you ever did straight out to design a cottage for her lake property,” he began slowly, trying to keep his voice down to avoid drawing attention as he knew that was what the man wanted to do. “I will design for Jared’s business if he needs me to and because Jared and others believe in me, I will design for my own clients when I open the doors of my own firm sometime next year. I will earn those clients by my own reputation and word of mouth of others who were satisfied with my work. I will never be ‘handed’ clients.” Jensen took a step forward this time and gave a not so subtle shove to the surprised man’s chest.

“This might be a public park but there’s no rule that states that I have to be near you. Good bye, Mr. Morgan,” he said and walked away, ignoring the crude and obscene insults being shouted at his back and hoping no one in the park paid any attention to him.

Walking away from the furious shouts, Jensen blew out a shaky breath as he worked to steady his hands. He wasn’t a coward. He’d grown up knowing he had to take care of himself physically. It was just the emotional wounds of his past that could still be brought back and Morgan’s words had started to uncover a few of those.

The idea of starting his own design office terrified Jensen because he did have so many doubts. He’d listed them all out for Jared one day while pacing the office that Jensen had been given in the Padalecki Amusement, Inc. headquarters. With each thing he listed, Jared had countered it until finally Jensen had blown out a frustrated breath.

“Why the hell are you countering my every reason that trying to open my own design office is a bad risk for you and a bad idea all together?” he’d demanded, fingers grabbing onto Jared’s t-shirt to shake him without even thinking of what he was doing.

“Because I believe in you. You just need to keep believing in yourself,” Jared had simply replied and while Jensen knew it couldn’t be that simple, he did slowly start to consider that maybe it could be done.

Now as he walked back through the happy, smiling people who were busy enjoying the completion of Jared’s dream, a dream that Jensen slowly let himself realize that he’d had a small part in making happen, he began to think that he could make an office of his own work. He would prove that all of Jared’s support and belief in him was worth it.

He could hear Jared’s laugh as he neared the main picnic shelter where his boyfriend had insisted the grand opening celebration be held. Stepping into the shade of the shelter, Jensen looked toward the sound of the laugh and slowly let his lips curve into a smile when his eyes immediately were locked onto by hazel eyes that had flecks of blue and gold that spoke of Jared’s happiness.

Jensen smiled and nodded to the people who spoke to him as he crossed the shelter to take the hand that was held out to him. “Hey,” he murmured, allowing the tug that took him into Jared’s arms since his boyfriend had already flat out stated that he didn’t give a damn if people knew he was gay, much less who he was living with.

“Hey back, Sugar.” Jared gave the older couple he’d been speaking with a polite smile before turning his focus to Jensen. “Gram said we have to stick it out for another hour before she’ll graciously overlook my ‘atrocious manners’ if I happen to disappear with you someplace… quiet or… to a cabin on a lake for the weekend to celebrate.”

“You do have atrocious manners and we should at least stay until most of the invited guests are gone.” Jensen chuckled at the pout Jared shot him at that suggestion. “Then if you happen to have plans for a weekend lake or boat trip, I won’t object,” he put in while reaching up to brush Jared’s hair back out of his face. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you something about this office building you seem to think would be good for me. Does it have an elevator by any chance?”

Jared had just been trying to think up a reason to slip out early when he stopped, blinked, and had to focus really hard on not thinking about ‘Janitor J.T.’ or else his grandmother would be slapping him with her cane for a much different reason.

“If it doesn’t, I’ll find you space in a building that does,” he muttered and smiled at Jensen’s low chuckle. “If I wanted to introduce you to someone who might be interested in talking to you once you are established, can I?” he asked with a little hopeful tone in his voice.

He knew Jensen still refused to let him help too much. It was why his stubborn boyfriend had insisted on finding office space someplace other than in the headquarters of his family business. They’d also talked about Jared finding clients or nudging people he knew towards Jensen. He understood it, he really did. But it didn’t mean he wouldn’t stop trying or finding subtle ways to help until Jensen was firmly on his feet.

Staring at Jared’s hopeful little smile and understanding his boyfriend really wasn’t trying to step in as much as Jensen knew he really, really wanted to, he considered it before nodding. “Yeah, Jay, you can introduce me,” he replied, laughing as Jared’s dimples popped with his smile. “And Jared? Thank you for believing and encouraging me.”

“I’ll always do both, Jensen,” Jared replied, leaning closer to press his lips close to Jensen’s ear while adding something only he could hear. “I also happen to know a really hot janitor who might be available for distractions when you need him.”

Jensen laughed while slipping his fingers into Jared as he was introduced to a tall, slender, red haired woman that Jared had explained was looking into building an apartment complex for Veterans.

Alaina Huffman, as it turned out, was Jensen’s first client six months later when he opened J.R. Ackles Design, set in a building that was one block from where Jared worked so they had lunch together or, if Jared was bored and Jensen not too busy, quick sex in Jensen’s office.

Between learning to balance his doubts with the encouragement offered by Jared, Jensen didn’t need many distractions or a way to vent since he’d been able to be more open with Jared over things that were bothering or worrying him. However, there were still moments when he had slips and his anxiety got the best of him.

That morning had been one of those times. He was close to having the apartment job complete when suddenly a zoning issue made a sudden and hard redraft of a pillar in the front of the complex a requirement. Getting that call that morning by the head contractor had sent Jensen shooting out of bed and snapping at a still half asleep and unaware Jared before he was out the door.

Once in front of the design and once he’d calmed down some, Jensen could see a way around the issue without losing too much of the look that his client had demanded. It just required splitting the one pillar into two and adding a few extra pieces to appease the building inspectors.

It was late afternoon by the time Jensen heard back that his new additions had been approved and the crew could pick up and still finish on time.

Glancing at his watch to see what time it was, Jensen chewed his lip. He’d called Jared earlier to apologize but was told Mr. Padalecki was in a meeting and would call him as soon as he was free.

Jensen hated that he’d snapped on Jared and he hated feeling guilty as well, so once he was sure he was caught up on everything and his secretary assured him that she could handle things while he made the block walk to apologize in person, he grabbed his jacket and phone and bolted for the elevator.

The office building Jensen chose for his office was an older one in the heart of San Antonio. It had classic architecture that appealed to him while still having some older features that drove him nuts. For example, the elevator.

It was an older model with the drop down gate. Without fail, before the doors closed he would have some moments of panic, but luckily he wasn’t in it very long since his office was only on the third floor.

So focused on texting Jared and ignoring the sound of the metal gate banging as the doors closed, the old device began its creaky and screeching descent and Jensen hadn’t even noticed he wasn’t alone in the box until there was a sudden louder than normal screeching noise followed by a hard breaking that had Jensen losing his balance.

“Shit!” he yelled, hand shooting out to try to catch himself and swearing as his phone hit the floor. Jensen was debating on swearing or kicking the damn too-small box when suddenly strong hands were catching him. His breath caught at the quiet drawl he heard next.

“Afternoon, Mr. Ackles. It’s been a long time.”

And just like that Jensen felt the sick ball of tension in his belly unknotting and he glanced over his shoulder into calm hazel eyes flecked with blue that day. A quick look also showed him the clean coveralls, complete with name badge, and the same old scarred work boots.

It took Jensen a second to realize what was happening. Swallowing hard to get rid of the lump in his throat, he nodded. “Yeah, it has,” he murmured, leaning against the wall of the elevator to watch as J.T. knelt to pick his phone up and hold it out to him. “I meant to thank you… for what you did for me. You helped me to find the courage to talk to my boyfriend… well, fiancé I guess he is now, about things that bother me. Why’re you here today?” he asked but suspected he knew.

A calloused thumb brushed across his wrist once he’d slipped the phone into his jacket for safe keeping. “Thought you might need the distraction or someone to vent to,” J.T. murmured, lifting his eyes slowly. “A little bird told me you had a bad morning.”

“I had to make a sudden revision that could’ve screwed the whole project if it didn’t pass the inspector’s approval and I snapped my fiancé’s head off,” Jensen began slowly, slightly unsure of this until something clicked with why he was suddenly uneasy with this meeting.

Before, meeting with J.T. had given him an outlet to vent or share things that made him uneasy or tense, things he wasn’t sure how Jared would handle given he knew the man did have a temper. The Thursday moments had helped him over a huge bump in his life while he’d been trying to find himself.

Now that Jensen believed in himself a bit more, now that he’d finally accepted that he could share his fears with Jared and not be shot down or mocked, he didn’t want to speak to someone else. He wanted the man who had helped him even when Jensen had struggled to not accept help.

“I got scared this morning, Jay,” he whispered and watched as Jared understood the break in play and easily stood. “Waking up to that call, thinking that the whole project could fail because of one mistake I’d made by not making sure of one little thing, freaked me out and I took it out on you.” Jensen reached up to rest his hand against Jared’s cheek, feeling the soft kiss that was placed against his palm. “I’m sorry.”

Jared had figured it was something like that and he hadn’t been as angry as he was worried. He had gotten hung up in a meeting earlier when Jensen had called so the second he’d been free he thought he’d see how Jensen was coping by letting J.T. come out.

Getting the timer on this elevator, given its age, wasn’t as easy as it had been on the one in the other building so he was relieved when Jensen let him know who it was he wanted to speak to. He honestly wasn’t sure his small device would stay working on this system and did not want the doors opening at a bad moment.

“Your office or mine?” he asked as he hit the remote he had in his pocket and felt the elevator jerk before it started to move again, seeing the relief on Jensen’s face and remembering that not all of his panic that one day had been faked. “Or… can I take you home?”

Jensen considered that option briefly. He knew it was less than professional for him to take off, but he didn’t have anything due that day and no meetings scheduled until the morning. “Home,” he said and then lost his ability to think the second he was tugged into Jared’s arms, meeting his kiss fully. “Jared… the lobby…”

“My truck’s in the parking lot out front. I’ll drive you to work tomorrow or we’ll come back for your car tonight and maybe go to dinner someplace,” Jared said in between kisses that were heating. He was briefly considering making out in his truck except the last time they’d tried that, Jensen vowed to make him trade it in for something bigger or with a backseat.

While Jared drove, Jensen texted his secretary to tell her she could go home early and that he’d see her in the morning. Then he shut his phone off in favor of sucking a line of marks all down Jared’s throat while opening the coveralls to see just what his fiancé had on underneath, groaning when he touched skin. “Seriously?”

“I planned on actually making love to you in that elevator and if I had more faith in what my high-tech gadget would do in that old wiring then I might’ve tried,” Jared admitted on a low moan, biting his lip and trying not to wreck or get them pulled over for reckless driving. Suddenly his quiet and still often shy lover bent and shifted his upper body enough that he was able to find one rock hard nipple with his mouth to begin a slow, sweet torment while Jared drove.

By the time Jared pulled into the garage, his body was on fire and it was taking every ounce of willpower once he shut the engine off and tugged a willing Jensen out of the truck into his arms and into the kitchen to not take the man right there and then.

They did actually make it the bedroom, though Jared wasn’t sure where the hell his one boot went or Jensen’s slacks. He was aware that he had a lot more patience that Jensen because he actually did manage to stretch Jensen before they made love, despite the interesting comments being tossed his way.

Jared usually tried for slow and gentle given he did understand he had more strength and hated when Jensen had bruises the next day. The day, however, it was plain to both of them that this first time would be hard and fast.

They made love several times that afternoon and then Jared got his wish to make slow and careful love to the man he would be marrying soon just after dusk as they’d sat on the back deck to watch the sun set while eating cold Chinese take-out from the night before.

“Where do you want to have the reception?” Jared had asked once his brain had kicked back online, fingers playing in Jensen’s wavy hair as he held him in his arms on the chaise lounge. “Grams is talking about a country club but…”

“The Italian place we met,” Jensen replied with a yawn, eyes heavy from too much sex and not enough sleep. It made him look younger than he was as he looked up at Jared; he’d left his glasses in the house so he had to blink to bring him into focus. “I want it there because it was where we met… even if I might’ve not liked you too much right then.”

If the location surprised Jared he didn’t let on and would just have to work around his matronly grandmother’s old fashion ideas of proper reception locations. “I came on too strong,” he admitted easily, tipping Jensen’s face up in his fingers to kiss him slowly. “Thank you for giving me the chance to get to know one another.”

“Thank you for not giving up on me even when I was rude,” Jensen murmured, sudden ideas of a design for their wedding coming into his mind but pushing it off until the morning as he snuggled more into the strong arms of the man he knew would always be there to distract and encourage when he needed it. “Love you, Jared.”

“Love you, Jensen.” Jared smiled as he watched Jensen drift off to sleep, deciding to let him sleep where he was for the moment since it was a warm night. He also decided to wait in telling him that he might’ve suggested him to a friend of his grandfathers who was looking for a designer to design a waterpark in Dallas since Jared didn’t want to be in a cast on his wedding day.

**The End**


End file.
